


Then Came You

by g33kyclassic



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Nanny, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Charles as the Nanny, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, F/M, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Prequel, dadneto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:49:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25206508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/g33kyclassic/pseuds/g33kyclassic
Summary: Erik's life is spiralling out of control: he's lost his wife, his children have been kick out of pre-school (did you know children could be expelled from pre-school?!), and he can't keep a Nanny longer than a week.He's hoping one last ditch effort to find a new nanny will finally be successful, but so far the day has been another disaster.  Until one Charles Xavier walks in.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr & Pietro Maximoff & Wanda Maximoff, Erik Lehnsherr/Magda (X-Men)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 102
Collections: X-Men Remix Madness 2020





	Then Came You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pinkoptics](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkoptics/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Ever Found Exactly What You Wanted (With Someone You Can't Have it With?)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12898845) by [pinkoptics](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkoptics/pseuds/pinkoptics). 
  * In response to a prompt by [pinkoptics](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkoptics/pseuds/pinkoptics) in the [xmen_remix_madness2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/xmen_remix_madness2020) collection. 



> A prequel of sorts to pinkoptics: Ever Found Exactly What You Wanted (With Someone You Can't Have it With?), with some minor alterations.
> 
> All my thanks to pinkoptics for writing the original fic - I love it so:)

* * *

Grief was like a storm cloud. Somedays it merely hovered, reminding you it was there, threatening to burst, but holding off. Other days it drizzled, dampening everything you touched. On the worst days it came out of nowhere and poured, the kind of rain that comes so hard and fast the ground can’t keep up and pellets of hail destroy every delicate plant in their path.

Erik had tried to deal with his grief. He tried denying it, burying it under piles of work at the office and such late night sketching at home he could barely see straight. He’d tried to burn it in a flaming inferno of anger, snapping at underlings at work and driving off into the night when the twins were asleep and literally yelling at the night sky. He’d even had one very regrettable weekend where he’d tired drowning his sorrows, but all that had lead to was a splitting headache, a roiling stomach, and a very judgmental look from his mother when he’d dragged himself back home to her and the twins. 

Lately, he’d decided that pretending he was over the whole thing was the best course of action. Life would be normal – he would make it go back to normal.

Unfortunately the twins were not on board with his plans. Their plans entailed nothing but utter chaos and mischief making. So much bad behaviour in fact that they had, after a dual explosion of power, destroyed the kitchen by making the dishwasher overflow with bubbles and then, in an ill-fated attempt to fix it, caused it to explode, been expelled from pre-school. Erik hadn’t even been aware children could be expelled from pre-school, but here they were.

Erik was currently waiting to interview another nanny for the children, their fifth in the past month. So far, no one had lasted longer than a week, thanks to the antics of his children. Erik loved the twins, he loved their silliness, and their joy, and their love of new experiences. But even he wished they were less prone to disaster, that they didn’t find so much glee in torturing the people he was hiring to take care of them. He needed to know they were safe. One more day of coming home to a nanny tied to a chair, or covered with chocolate pudding, and Erik was going to lose his mind.

The agency promised the best, most skilled nannies in New York, and Erik had trusted that they could manage his children. He’d only needed them full time for six month – six months, until the twins started school. It had seemed so simple. Erik would work overtime and repay the preschool for the damage the twins had caused, the nanny would take care of his children and life would be normal. That’s all he wanted: normal.

Today, however, was not going well. He’d taken a day off – something he rarely did – and the interviewees had been almost as much of a disaster as the twins could be. 

The first candidate was pushing seventy, with poor eye sight and hands that looked like they were riddled with arthritis. She had excellent references and a wealth of experience, but even she knew four year old twins were not the best fit for her – the woman couldn’t lift more than ten pounds and spent her time teaching decorum classes as a hobby. The twins would have eaten her alive.

The second had been a young lady with more pep and positive energy than anyone Erik had ever had the displeasure of meeting. He could hardly finish the interview; he found her overly enthusiastic smiles and sunny attitude so off-putting.

The third woman had been late, and Erik was not going to hire anyone who was late for an interview. How could he possible trust someone unreliable with his children? He’d sent a harshly worded email to the nanny agency as soon as he’d sent the woman packing, suggesting they look over their quality control policy.

His entire morning and half the afternoon, wasted. Erik gulped down a quick and very late lunch, and waited for his last interview of the day.

He closed his eyes, leaned back in his chair, and for a moment, as brief as it was, allowed himself to think about Magda. He wondered what she’d think of the mess he’d gotten himself into. What would she be looking for in a nanny? Would she know exactly what to look for -because Erik had no idea. Each of the previous nannies had seemed like the perfect fit, but everything had come crashing down.

“You would know what to do.” Erik said to the empty room. “You always knew what to do.”

He sighed. Magda had been a force of nature. A woman others looked to for guidance, the type of woman who always seemed to have a solution for every problem, the answer to every question. Erik had always loved her confidence, her drive. He loved that even with all that drive and determination, she was the heart of their home. She brought a fun lively attitude to parenting, she brought whimsy mixed with discipline, something Erik had never quite managed. He missed having her at his side. There had been nothing close to order and certainty in his life since Magda had passed. There was still love in his house – his love for his children has never wavered – but the sweetness, the softness, the tenderness was missing.

Erik had no idea how to find all of that again, not without Magda.

A sharp knock interrupted his thoughts, and he pushed Magda and his multitude of memories to the back of his mind.

He was surprised to find himself faced with a young man when he opened the door. The agency had never sent a man before.

“The agency sent you?” He asked, sure that the next name on his list was a ‘Maria Gomez’, which was not, in Erik’s experience, a man’s name.

“Oh, yes!” The man exclaimed and then shuffled through his book bag. “Here is the note from the agency. I’m a last minute switch.”

Erik took the offered wrinkled paper and gave the young man with the optimistic smile a skeptical look as he quickly read the note.

“Everything seems fine. Come in and sit down.” Erik stepped out of the way and let the young man into his house.

It was immaculately clean; Erik had spent the first two hours of the morning using his powers and his own two hands to put away every arrant toy, scrub away every sticky fingerprint, and generally make the place look like it wasn’t overrun by two four year olds. He wasn’t about to scare any prospective nannies away by openly showing the chaos of his life.

As clean as the place was, it still felt cold and unwelcoming. In another brilliant grief riddled moment, Erik had sold the apartment he and Magda had bought, their first home. A place where they had sat on the floor their first night and eaten dinner out of Chinese take out boxes with a cheap bottle of wine and laughed because their movers were going to be a day late and they had absolutely no furniture; not even a bed to sleep on. The place they had brought the twins home to, the place Magda had filled with warmth and little feminine touches, like throw pillows and potted plants.

The new apartment was gleaming; it had new fixtures, stainless steel appliances, and an en-suite bathroom. As much as Erik was happy not the live in an apartment that felt haunted by memories of his dead wife, he didn’t like the new apartment either. It was soulless. Once the twins were in bed for the night, Erik dreaded spending time alone here almost as much as he had the old apartment.

Erik sat, facing the young man across from him and forced himself to focus on the present; there was no sense letting his bitter feelings cloud his judgment.

“So, Mister...” Erik glanced down at the note quickly, “Xavier, how long have you been a nanny?”

“Please call me Charles.” Mr. Xavier replied back with an easy smile. “I must admit I have limited official ‘nannying’ experience. Prior to today, I have worked officially with only one other family. However, I have been tutoring since I was in middle school, and I practically raised my adoptive sister. I am very familiar with engaging young minds.”

Erik resisted the urge to escort Charles right back out the door. The agency was now sending him someone with hardly any experience; how could they expect him to entrust his children to someone like that?

_‘You always judge too quickly’ Magda’s voice sounded in his head. ‘Give him a chance’_

“My children might be younger than you’re used to.” Erik said, forcing himself to tamp down his own prejudices and continue the interview. “They are energetic, boisterous, and mutants.”

“They sound wonderful.” Charles’ grin broadened. “Most of my experience is with fellow mutants, to be be frank. I find discovering more about mutation fascination, its my area of study in fact. I’m currently writing my dissertation on the variations within the so-called ‘X’ gene.”

“You’re a student?” Erik asked, wondering how Charles could possibly have time to nanny and complete his studies.

“I am.” Charles nodded. “A doctoral candidate. I’m teaching two evening classes, but my days are free. And honestly my research is basically complete, I’m just writing and grading undergraduate papers. I have more than enough time to devote to your children and meet your requested hours.”

“My children are head strong.” Erik admitted. “They have some issues controlling their powers.”

“They’ve manifested very young and control takes time to learn.” Charles said with a serious and understanding tone. “Although my experience has been with older children, I have often worked with newly manifesting mutant children. My own mutation tends to be… helpful.”

“What is your mutation?” Erik paused, realizing his question bordered on rude. “If you don’t my my asking.” 

“I’m a telepath.” Charles answered, sitting back in his seat carefully.

Erik could see the tension in the younger man’s shoulders – the first sign of stress he’d shown. 

“A very useful talent.” Erik acknowledged. “My -”

Before he got another word out, the front door slammed open and his children burst into the room.

“Papa, look!” Wanda cried, running toward him waving something frantically. “Aunty Emma got me a new dolly!”

“And she bought us ice cream.” Peter grinned, zooming by, his shoes still on, tracking dirt all over the floor.

“You were supposed to keep them out until four.” Erik glared over at Emma.

“You’re lucky we lasted this long, sugar.” Emma said with a shrug. “I’m headed out for an early round of cocktails. Or maybe an evening at the spa. Or both.”

Erik sputtered out a few words of protest, but as expected, Emma ignored him and waltzed out the door.

“Who are you?” Peter asked, arms crossed over his chest and giving Charles the most suspicious look a four year old could possibly give.

“I’m Charles. I’m here for an interview with your father.” Charles replied calmly.

“Are you going to be our new nanny?” Wanda pipped up, swaying from foot to foot and peeking at Charles over the head of her new doll.

“That’s up to your father.” Charles gave Erik a tentative smile.

“Can you skateboard?” Peter demanded, giving Charles a thorough once over.

“I can’t say that I can, though I am an excellent downhill skier.” Charles answered, leaning forward and putting himself closer to eye level with the twins. “I completed a mogul run in Switzerland when I was twelve.”

Peter, caught by surprise, could do nothing but look at Charles with wide-eyed admiration.

“Do you like Disney movies?” Wanda asked

“I do.” Charles’ smile broadened. “In fact, I bet if you go get one of movies and hold it behind your back, I can guess what it is – no peeking and no hints.”

Wanda stood staring at Charles, already half enamoured, while Peter zipped away and back a determined look on his face.

“Whadda I have?” He asked, chin jutting out.

“Lady and the Tramp.”

Peter scowled and dropped the DVD case on the coffee table and ran off again.

“How ‘bout now?”

“Beauty and the Beast.”

“Now?”

“Finding Nemo.”

The guessing game continued for several rounds, Peter displaying an odd mix of frustration and grudging respect and Wanda in a state of awe.

“You are never going to guess this one.” Peter crowed triumphantly.

“Ah.” Charles arched a brow. “That is my favourite: Mary Poppins.”

“Oh, Papa.” Wanda turned and grabbed Erik’s hand excitedly. “Can we keep him? He’s magic! Like a prince in a fairy tale!”

Erik looked over his daughter’s head to find Charles blushing, the pink on his cheeks somehow making both his blue eyes brighter and the freckles on his nose more prominent. 

“I suppose we can give him a try.”

* * *

Erik walked through the door after another headache inducing day at the office. He wasn’t as late today as he’d been some evenings, but it was still past supper time and his stomach was growling.

“Avast ye matey!” Charles’ voice called out.

“I found the treasure captain. It’s gold, all gold!” Peter cried, holding a bucket of popcorn over his head.

“We’re rich, rich beyond our wildest dreams!” Wanda danced around, her face nearly hidden by the oversized paper pirate hat on her head.

Erik stood still for a moment, taking in the scene: his living room transformed. Cushions moved around the coffee table, which had been converted into a ‘ship’, complete with cardboard plank and mast, an array of stuffed animals arranged as crew, and his children, both smiling, happy, and not in any sort of near death situation.

Maybe Wanda had been right, maybe Charles Xavier was magic. Because somehow in the past three weeks he had managed to do something Erik hadn’t managed in months; he had turned their house into a home. Their once cold and soulless apartment now had warmth, laughter, and happiness.

Erik hadn’t thought he’d feel this way, that his children would have something like this since his wife had died. Somehow, Charles had made it happen. Erik let out a shaky breath. He had to find a way to tell Charles how much this meant to him, to his children. 

Somehow, someday he would. 

For now, he had a game of pirate to join.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Please leave a comment or kudo if you enjoyed this fic - its what keeps us writers motivated :)


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